Mission: Diplomacy?
by Whisperwill
Summary: Rare is the case in which a cell is chosen to discuss terms rather than do battle. A master and his apprentices are sent into enemy territory to do just that. But is all as it seems? Pre-Vol. 1. Rated T for violence.
1. Ready to Show 'Em Who's Boss?

**Mission: Diplomacy?**

The mission called for tact. It called for diplomacy. The job required a team who could be stealthy, subtle, and most definitely _not_ in-your-face.

So why, Neji asked himself yet again, had _Might Guy's_ team been chosen for it? The job was much better suited for Master Kakashi, Kurenai, or even Asuma, unmotivated though he was. Those three _jonin_ were going to receive three students each, starting next week. The only reason Neji could think of for the Hokage to jump the gun and assign Guy's team to this mission, was that it was urgent. But as he watched Guy laugh his exultant over-the-top laugh, Neji had to wonder. Was this mission really so pressing that the higher-ups couldn't have waited a week and assigned a _jonin_ who fit the bill a bit better?

Lee, too, was excited for the mission. He and Guy-sensei pumped their fists into the air in unison; then Lee crossed his left forearm over Guy's right. They were like two halves of the same person on either side of a mirror.

"Woo-hoo!" they howled together. "Team Guy..." Tenten caught Neji's eye and they shared a rueful look. They both knew what was coming next. All four members of the team were supposed to shout together—words were optional, but not necessary. It was a group exercise designed to foster feelings of courage and team spirit. And it was also something childish and humiliating, in Neji's opinion.

Lee and Guy let out gusty shouts worthy of gutsy shinobi. Tenten, who didn't like to make waves, shouted, too. However, hers held much less enthusiasm. Neji opened his mouth as usual. It had been a year since they started performing this little pre-mission maneuver. And Lee and Guy had yet to notice that it was always a sigh that was escaping their Hyuga team member's mouth, rather than a shout.

"Ha-ha!" Master Guy let out a loud laugh. He flashed a thumbs-up at the sun. "We're off on a mission once again!" He grinned dazzlingly. "Ready to show 'em who's boss, team?!"

"Yes!" Lee declared. His large eyes shone as he squeezed his hands into fists. "They will be sorry they ever messed with us!" Guy continued to laugh loudly at the sun. Tenten tittered, as well.

"Lee, do you even know who it is that's going to 'be sorry'?" she asked, fondly rather than unkindly. Taken aback, Lee rubbed the back of his head uncertainly.

"U-um, I'm not..."

Neji sighed again and turned to their teacher. "Sensei, where are we going?" he asked briskly. When Guy didn't answer right away, Neji went on, "What are our mission perimeters? Our guidelines?" Guy still didn't answer, and an awkward silence stretched out. Finally, Guy whirled to face them. His smile was sheepish this time. But his tone was as heroic as ever.

"Well...that's what we're about to go find out!" he yelled. Neji's and Tenten's shoulders slumped with embarrassment at their sensei's cluelessness. "C'mon team!" Guy urged them, leading the way in a high-stepping march. "Lord Hokage awaits to debrief us!"


	2. Routine Ambassador Tasks

However, it wasn't the Third himself who waited for them, but his trusted elders, Homura and Koharu. They stood solemn as usual, as Guy and his students filed in. Neji's ears pricked up as Lady Koharu opened her mouth to speak. What mission was so important that they had chosen to deploy Guy's cell, against all odds?

"Master Might Guy, thank you for coming," she began. "As you know, you will be traveling to the Land of Grass for this mission." Well, Guy _hadn't_ known their destination until right this minute, but his students were too loyal to admit that. "There have been some skirmishes along the border," Koharu explained.

"These kinds of disputes _may_ indicate signs of unrest within the Land of Grass," Lord Homura added. Was Neji imagining it, or was the elder's tone rather ominous?

"You'll just be doing routine ambassador tasks," Koharu said, her voice dismissive. She shot her companion a sharp look, one which Neji's eyes didn't fail to notice. Was she trying to shush him up? "You're simply traveling there to demonstrate to them Konoha's determination to keep our borders secure. We won't stand for shinobi crossing into our land unannounced." Her mouth tightened. "Konoha is one of the five great nations. We won't condone impertinence from nations like the Land of Grass." The barest hint of scorn rankled in her tone as she mentioned the smaller nation. Guy, Lee, and Tenten nodded in complete agreement. Neji alone felt indignation rise within him. He knew what it was like to grow up with the so-called "stronger" individuals looking down on, and controlling, the weaker ones. But Koharu was the advisor to the Hokage himself, and Neji was merely a _genin_. He was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. "It is a simple mission," Koharu was assuring them now. "Level D, a perfect learning opportunity for your apprentices. You should be able to return within a few days' time. I don't expect you'll have any trouble." For the second time, Neji found himself failing to believe her.

He still kept his silence, though.


	3. Our Motive

"Come on, team! Let's do our best! Let's win the fight! Let's show 'em what _Konohanin_ are made of!" Guy boomed in what was half a cheer, half a marching tune. Lee kept pace with his beloved teacher step for step. Neji and Tenten were trailing behind. Their sensei made it sound as if they were going off to war. But according to what they had heard in their briefing, this was little more than a diplomatic visit.

Tenten was understandably a little unclear about their directive, and she spoke up. "Sensei, what is our motive on this mission?" she asked uncertainly.

"Weren't you listening, Tenten?" Guy replied cheerfully. "We're going to show them what Konoha ninja are made of! No one pushes _us_ around!"

"So we're traveling to the Land of Grass to show them who's boss," Neji summed it up for her. He was more mystified than ever as to why their cell had been appointed this task. Guy wasn't the sort of person who was overly talented at flexing metaphorical muscle—although he could flex genuine muscle just fine. He could be truly fearsome in a fight, but that wasn't the point of this mission. Neji didn't make it a habit of disagreeing with the higher-ups, but he couldn't help feeling that this time, they had made a mistake. Wasn't it obvious that their team couldn't be any _less_ qualified for this job if they tried? It was the _perfect_ mission for Shiranui Genma, or better yet, Hatake Kakashi—never mind that the Copy Ninja was on the cusp of being awarded his first threesome for a cell. Could they not have waited a mere few days for him to receive his assigned _genin_ , and then place him on this mission?

Tenten's thoughts were running in the same vein. "But..." She hesitated as though not sure she should speak and glanced at Neji's lavender eyes. "Are they really sure that's the right job for _us_?" she wanted to know. Her voice had dropped to a whisper. The last thing either she or Neji wanted was for wind of their doubts to reach their sensei. After all, it was really _his_ capabilities they were uncertain about, not the team's.

Neji's Hyuga eyes narrowed and he wouldn't answer.


	4. The Element of Surprise

They stopped for the night while still within Konoha's boundaries, although not far from Grass's borderline. Lee was so pumped up to start the official mission that he asked a juvenile question. "Why must we stop for the night?" His eyes lit fiercely. "I mean, if we are to take them by surprise, is it not better to go under cover of darkness?"

Neji sighed, and Tenten shook her head a little. The question was incorrect on several levels. Again, Lee had demonstrated his tendency to prove himself as the least clever of Guy's _genin_.

"No, Lee," grunted their sensei as he moved around on the forest floor arranging his bedding. "It would not be better to travel by night."

"Why not, Sensei?" Lee demanded to know. Neji and Tenten were making up their own beds.

"Well," sighed Guy. He dove toward his sleeping bag, rolled in midair, and ended up flopping neatly onto it on his back, one elbow cocked to support his head on his hand. He held up his index finger. "In the first place, we would exhaust ourselves by running through the night, and we don't want to do that unless absolutely necessary." Now their sensei held two fingers up. "In the second place, the idea here is not to surprise the ninja of Kusagakure; it's to address them directly. And in the third place"—three of his fingers were in the air now—"sometimes ninja have approximately the same chance of achieving the element of surprise whether they travel by night or not. You see, shinobi so often use darkness as a cover, that attacks by night are often _expected_ by opponents." This last bit of his explanation was one of the earliest things the three of them had learned at the Konohagakure Ninja Academy. Lee ducked his head, embarrassed, but Guy said no more on the matter. "Come on, come on, to bed, all of you!" he boomed, waving them over next to him. Lee needed no encouragement to park his bedroll right next to his teacher, and Tenten and Neji dragged their beds nearby and lay down on them. The cell slept soundly. They didn't even set a watch.

Perhaps they should have, because a pair of beady pinpricks shone dimly in the darkness. They might have belonged to a racoon, a tanuki...

...or even a shinobi.


	5. Enslavement

The next morning, Neji awoke earlier than the others as the dawn appeared, on the cusp of the day's beginning. He liked being alone in the peace and quiet before anyone else was awake. He meditated for a half hour before getting up and going through his stretches. Finally, he took his headband off and bent over to wash his face in the stream. It was then that he received a surprise. His sensei appeared as though out of nowhere.

"Sensei?" Neji said with a start.

"Don't look so surprised, Neji," laughed Guy. "I can be quiet as a mouse when I want to be, didn't you know?"

Actually, this was news to Neji, but he kept that fact to himself. Instead, he went on rubbing the palms of his hands over his face. As he wiped the dripping water off on the back of his arm, Master Guy suddenly grabbed his wrist. "What is that?" His tone had changed. It was serious, accusing. "That mark on your forehead?" Neji struggled to keep his arm raised, but Guy forced him to lower it as though it were no effort at all.

"It's—" Neji stammered. He averted his eyes. "Nothing—"

Guy frowned. "Neji, in Might Guy's cell, we keep no secrets from one another." He asked again, sternly, "What is it?"

"It's the mark of the caged!" snapped Neji. His normally passive purple pupils flashed with anger. "It symbolizes the enslavement of my family line by—"

"By whom?" Guy bellowed the question. His fist was clenched before his eyes. "Who would dare enslave the noble Hyuga clan?!"

No one had quite the knack for sticking his foot into his mouth, like their sensei did. Glaring at the ground, Neji growled, "The Hyuga clan."

"That's what I said," Guy raged on, "who would dare enslave—?"

" _The Hyuga clan was the one doing the enslaving!_ " It was hard to tell which caught Guy off guard more—Neji's words, or his explosive anger. The Hyuga boy was breathing hard now. He gritted his teeth and continued in a tight voice, "My family are members of the Hyuga clan's cadet branch. We were subordinated to Hyuga's main branch and forced into servitude before I was born." He shut his eyes as he tied his headband over his forehead once more, hiding the tattoo. "I've had this mark for as long as I can remember."

Guy's face had become strangely devoid of emotion during Neji's explanation. Tenten and Lee had the opposite reaction: their expressions brimmed with indignation and hurt on their teammate's behalf. "Why would they do such a thing to their _own flesh and blood_?" Lee blurted out.

"How horrible!" Tenten cried. "They ought to know better than—"

But their protests were cut off by a loud, crackling _bam_. Guy had struck out with one of his mighty punches. His fist was now so deep in the heart of a tree that only his wrist was visible above the bark line. His voice was flat as he said, "The Hyuga clan must do what it believes best, of course." But his dark eyes were on Neji's as he spoke, and all three of them knew he didn't mean a word of it. Their sensei yanked his hand out of the wood with a savage thrust. "Come on. Time to get a move on."


	6. Border Patrol

The land itself seemed to confirm their location as they came to the end of the Land of Fire and drew level with the Land of Grass. As the trees thinned, the stubbly grass underfoot grew longer and longer. Then the woods faded away altogether, and the cell found themselves standing in a meadowy sea. The tips of the blades reached all the way to the _genin's_ chests, level with Guy's _makimono_ pouch. Their sensei took a deep breath, puffing out his chest.

Neji wasn't sure what to expect, on the cusp of enemy territory. A battle? A sneak attack? A conspiracy? Or at least a confrontation?

None of these things took place. What actually happened was that Might Guy shouted at the top of his lungs. " _Hellooo, Land of Grass! We are Konohanin sent here by the Hokage himself! We come in peace! Please present your border patrol now!"_

Not a single shinobi appeared. Guy made a second attempt. _"Please present your border patrol now!"_

No answer, except the high _kaw-kaw_ of a crow overhead. Dauntless, Guy tried again.

" _Please present your border patrol now!"_

Tenten squirmed behind him. "Sensei, I don't think they're—" she started to say. But Guy's eyes widened, and in the split second before he had noticed anything amiss, Neji had already seen them and quieted his _kunoichi_ cell mate.

" _Shhh!"_ Tenten fell silent at once, her pretty eyes looking at him in hurt. At first, neither she nor Lee could see anything that might have grabbed the attention of their teammate and teacher. Then four Grass shinobi emerged out of the grass, weaving into view like the gently swaying meadow blades around them. They were close enough to Guy's students that any of the _genin_ could have reached out and touched them with no difficulty whatsoever.

"We are the present Kusa border patrol," a dark-eyed shinobi said warily. Neji could only assume that he was the cell leader. Swarthy and dangerous-looking, he seemed to inspire respect in his comrades and fear in his opponents. Whether he consciously exuded this aura or not, Neji didn't know. He could feel the grass ninjas' breath in his hair, so near were they to him and his cellmates. However, they were keeping a safer distance between them and Guy.

Their sensei stepped forward, perhaps to confront the _Kusanin_ or merely to stand between them and his students. Regardless of his intent, Guy came off as threatening as he stuck his face close to the Kusa leader's, whose eyes narrowed. "And if you come in peace," the imposing shinobi growled, "then why do you brandish weapons?" Neji was initially surprised by their enemy's words. Then he looked at Tenten without a second thought. If anyone held weapons, it would be she, since he knew he himself wasn't armed, and neither Guy nor Lee used ninja tools. Sure enough, her right hand was down by her thigh sheath gripping the handle of her kunai knife, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice.

"Tenten!" Guy shouted at her. She flinched. "Lower your guard," her teacher continued in a quieter voice. "You know better."

Poor Tenten seemed to have realized that she had misrepresented their team during a pivotal moment in their mission. She lowered her trembling hand and held them both out from her body, clearly demonstrating that she was standing down. Bowing low, she cried, "Yes, Sensei! I'm sorry, sir!"

"Forgive my students," Guy said to the Grass cell's leader. "They're nervous, that's all." He cleared his throat and stood ramrod-straight and tall. "We were sent here by the Hokage. Please take us to your village. We wish to see your leader."

The head _Kusanin_ wrinkled his nose and paused to size their cell up once more. He seemed to be trying to think of an excuse not to grant their request. Then he nodded once at his teammates and turned to lead them into the land's interior.

They were going to the Hidden Grass Village.


	7. Quite a Stir

They passed through the village's main gate flanked on all sides by the four grass ninja. But for the fact that the _Kusanin_ surrounding them were unarmed, one could have easily mistaken them for prisoners. While he didn't feel imprisoned, Neji did feel out of his element. Lee's eyes were, if that were possible, wider than ever. Tenten was clearly still jumpy and as eager as ever to curl her fingers around one of her trusty ninja tools. But it was Guy whom Neji looked to, in order to know how to proceed. Their teacher's eyes were narrow, and his face betrayed nothing. Although he appeared to stare straight ahead, Neji saw the way his eyes would occasionally dart to the side when no one was looking. He was sizing up the place. Number of enemy shinobi, layout of the streets, location of fortifications, even general appearance of the villagers—Neji knew from his academy days that all of these factors were important to notice. He mimicked his sensei and looked around without giving any notice he was doing so.

Their arrival caused quite a stir, of course. Grass cadets pointed and gaped, the youngest among them exclaiming aloud. Young _genin_ 's whispers carried along like wind in the grass. Neji got the most illogical feeling from the way that the Grass _chunin_ looked at them. They were hostile and guarded—yes, he had expected that from their enemies. But he saw no surprise on their faces. It was as though they had _expected_ the Konoha party to arrive.

But that made no sense, Neji berated himself. No sense at all.


	8. Very Busy

They were led to an inn right off the main square. The grass shinobi leader held out his hand once they stopped at the door. "Make yourselves comfortable. You may take any room you wish."

"We thank you kindly," declared Guy. He paused, although the grass ninja was still gesturing him to enter. "When will we be able to see the leader of the Village Hidden in the Grass?"

"Our honored leader is very busy," was the short answer. The _Kusanin_ 's face was without expression. "He has many pressing assignments. It will not be till tomorrow or the day after, that he'll be able to see you."

Neji could tell that this news was not welcome to his sensei. Guy's face darkened; then he nodded, tight-jawed. "If we have to wait, we will. But please let him know that we want to see him as soon as possible." He stepped through the inn's sliding door, waving his team along after him.

Up the wooden stairs they went, and took the last two rooms at the end of the hallway. Tenten left her pack in one room and came to join the boys in their room. After looking both ways down the hallway, checking the window, and peering at the ceiling, she shut the door carefully behind them.

"So the leader of Kusagakure can't make time to see us, eh?" Guy said, as if to himself. He scowled at the ceiling. "A diplomatic team is deployed from one of the Five Great Nations, and he can't manage to squeeze us into his schedule?" Lee folded his arms and huffed indignantly at the person who would dare inconvenience his sensei. Guy was rubbing his chin in thought. "I wonder…did they even know we were coming?"

"But why wouldn't they?" Tenten asked in surprise. "The Hokage sent us—wouldn't he have let them know in advance?"

"But the Kusa cell didn't seem to be expecting us…" Now Guy-sensei was musing aloud. "Although maybe not all the shinobi were told that we'd be here. Or they could have been pretending. But what would that accomplish…?"

He seemed to be in danger of rambling on for the next hour; so Neji took the opportunity to intervene. "Sensei, what should we do now?" he asked. "Are we just supposed to wait around until the Kusa leader can see us?"

"Who knows how long that'll take?" added Tenten.

"Our job is _not_ to sit around and wait!" Lee voiced his opinion loudly. Guy reached over and pressed his hand over the _genin_ 's mouth.

"Careful, Lee," he warned his prized pupil. "We don't want anyone to overhear us." He sighed. "I'll contact Konoha and see what they want us to do. For now—"

He was interrupted by a knock on their door. Tenten melted into the shadow behind the wardrobe in the corner. Guy pulled the door open to reveal one of the innkeeper's sons. Although undoubtedly expecting to see a _Konohanin_ standing there, the boy still appeared taken aback at the sight of him. "Um…" He cleared his throat. "There's…supper being served downstairs…if you want it."

Guy smiled down at him. "Sounds magnificent! We'll be right down." The boy nodded and hurried away. Guy shut the door again and turned to his students. "For now," he continued his previous thought in an undertone, "we're going to go eat supper and stay the night. We have nothing to be afraid of."

Yet why did that very statement have the effect of making all three of them uneasy?


	9. You're a Ninja, Huh?

The food was being served at a long table in the dining area. The innkeeper's wife and daughters served fresh plates of hot rice, meat, and vegetables whenever they ran out. It was a delicious meal, but Neji barely tasted it. He was far too focused on the conversation going on at the table. The three _genin_ knew perfectly well that what they said during this meal could make or break the mission. It was almost easy to believe in the apparent innocence of the situation, to relax their guard. But Guy's students knew better than that. Casual though the conversation was—and casually though they behaved—they were in reality on high alert. Their ears strained for even a hint of intel, sprinkled unknowingly into the loud laughter and boisterous dialogue taking place. At the same time, they chose their words with care so as not to betray their own village's secrets to the Kusa villagers around them.

Jovial Guy struck up a lighthearted conversation with the farmer on his right, while Lee watched admiringly from his other side. Soon the two men were guffawing together like old friends.

A middle-aged man sitting next to Neji leaned in and drawled in a deep voice, "So, you're a ninja, huh?" He scooped up an overly-large chunk of pork with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth. After chewing and swallowing, he asked without nicety, "What's that like?" Neji wasn't sure if the man was secretly trying to glean information out of him or not. It could be that he was merely curious…or perhaps he simply lacked social grace. Neji could smell the saké on his breath. He concentrated on cutting up his own piece of meat and answered shortly,

"It's a good living." The man didn't seem to catch his cold tone, and continued to ask prying questions. For his part, Neji gave terse answers that betrayed nothing. For the remainder of the meal, their conversation went around in circles, the man's probing questioning shut down at every turn by Neji's noncommittal replies.

Tenten was sitting at the end of the table, between two old ladies who talked on and on like a pair of old hens. Fortunately for her, they seemed more interested in getting her to eat than in getting her to talk. However, it was hard for her to hold her own against the forceful personalities of the two elders. Before supper was half over, she was stuffed to capacity, and was forced to (sometimes successfully, sometimes not) turn down the countless offers of food. As the women continued to heckle her, Neji half expected her to scream. Finally, she reached her breaking point.

"Will you windbags _shut up?!_ " she roared. "You two are _impossible!_ " She stomped her foot with a wordless yell of frustration. "Rrg! No _wonder_ you never got married!"

Lee's mouth was wide open. Tenten had certainly not left a good impression of Konoha ninja at the little inn. Tenten squeezed her hands into fists in her lap, then pushed away from the table and got to her feet so fast that she seemed to burst upward. "I'm going back to the room!" she said in a tight voice and hurried away.

"Tenten, you come back here right now!" Guy commanded her. Neji had no doubt that Lee would not have dared to disobey Guy-sensei when he sounded like that. But Tenten only cried without turning or slowing down, "I'm not hungry, anyway!"

Guy's ample eyebrows knit in a frown, and he pushed himself up, too. "I'll go talk to her," he told the other two. Lee stared at him as he walked away.

"Why did Tenten do that?" he wondered aloud to Neji. The Hyuga genius shook his head. Neither of them quite understood girls yet. Maybe they never would.


	10. Geniuses

Guy both walked into their room without preamble and spoke to Tenten without hesitation. "Why did you leave the table?" he demanded to know. "You know that our team always shares meals _together_."

"Maybe I don't want to be part of this team!" Tenten shouted suddenly, glaring at her teacher with over-bright eyes. Guy's mouth dropped open.

"What makes you say something like that?" he asked, obviously shocked and injured.

Tenten was avoiding his eyes now and had started to pace around the room. "You know, Neji has been at the top of our class all five of his years at the Academy. Lee was a labeled as a failure, but look at him now! Not only can he not perform ninjutsu, but he does fine without it! He's a genius as much as Neji! They're _both_ geniuses!" She finished her praises at the top of her voice, breathing hard as though she had just finished a run rather than a speech. "And I'm..." She hesitated. "What am I?"

Guy stared at her for a long moment in silence, inviting her to go on. But Tenten had finished her tirade and stood looking up at him with wide, vulnerable eyes. He could clearly see the struggle of admiration and envy, of self-motivation and self-deprecation, of hope and hurt, that lay there. She waited, holding her breath, to hear what he had to say.

Her sensei reached out slowly, brought his hand up to her face and…grabbed her ear. "Don't you _dare_ talk about yourself that way, Tenten!" His voice was sharp, his eyes bright. "I won't allow it." Shocked, Tenten reached up to her pained ear and opened her mouth to speak, but Guy-sensei didn't give her the chance. "I know your heart; I've heard your dream. One day you want to be as good a shinobi as your role model Lady Tsunade.

"But your teammates make you feel like giving up. You feel like your skills are nothing compared to theirs."

"They have more skill than I'll _ever_ have!" Tenten cried out through gritted teeth.

Guy's voice dwarfed hers in volume as he shouted back, "They have _different_ skills than you! How _dare_ you compare yourself to them! As if you could do the same things as Neji can with the _byakugan_ , or Lee can with chakraless taijutsu!" He finally released his hold on her, balling his hands into fists of passion. "Don't compare noodles to rice! They'll _never_ have the skill you do with weaponry! No one in the _history of Konoha_ has possessed a skill like yours! If you downplay it, you do a gross disservice to both yourself and your village!

"One day," he vowed, his eyes shining with—was that tears?—"you will be a _kunoichi_ the likes of which our village has never seen! You'll be in all the bingo books! And you know what I'll say when I hear people talking about the legendary Tenten of Konohagakure?" His mouth stretched in a proud grin. "I was her teacher! I'm the one who taught her everything she knows!" His eyes and voice softened at last. "…I was a witness of her growth in knowledge and power. I watched while she matured into a fearless young woman." He laid his large hand on her head, ruffling her bangs. "It's an honor to be your teacher…to teach all _three_ of you—the next generation of Konoha shinobi, the geniuses of your time."

Then he left her alone to stare for a long time at the wall, dazed at the words spoken to her so bluntly from the man whose approval mattered more to her than any other.


	11. Unnerving

Guy's cell kept to themselves, staying in their rooms most of the time. They came into the living and dining areas only for meals. They sat together and talked sparingly with others at the table. The lodgers were giving them a wide berth, perhaps due to Tenten's outburst earlier.

When Team Guy weren't indoors, they were walking the streets of Kusagakure. No one volunteered to talk to them, of course. However, no one tried to stop them, either, even though their freedom allowed them to reconnoiter Kusa at will.

It was a strange, unnerving situation.

And Neji was unsure how to feel about it.


	12. Going to Give Them an Ultimatum

They had heard no word from Konoha for two days. The team's disquiet, bubbling just under the surface, manifested itself in various ways. Tenten either paced from window to window like a caged animal, peering outside as though waiting for a messenger hawk—even though they all knew that a shinobi cell would never dare use this method of communication while in enemy territory—or, when in a quieter mood, she perched on the sill and sharpened one ninja tool after another. While Lee wouldn't complain outright, he did sit for long periods, tapping his foot and _hmph_ -ing every so often. It was the closest to sulking that his cellmates had ever seen him get.

But it wasn't forthright Tenten, or loquacious Lee, who finally broached the topic that had become for them like the proverbial elephant in the room. It was tacit Neji. "E _nough!"_ The word exploded from him into an otherwise quiet room. Guy looked up sharply, and Tenten and Lee whirled toward him in surprise. Before he could get reprimanded for drawing unwarranted attention to their room, Neji lowered his voice. "We've waited," he continued quietly but clearly, "long enough." He met each of their eyes. At first Guy-sensei seemed as if he were going to speak, but he stopped and let Neji continue. "Konoha either refuses to return our message, or cannot communicate with us in time. Either way, we endanger our mission and our village if we remain here."

"Yes!" Lee sounded inspired. He leaned forward eagerly, his eyes ablaze. "We must go and confront the—"

"I'm _not_ suggesting," Neji cut his comrade off, "that we challenge anyone to battle." Lee's lower lip stuck out, showing his disappointment. "I'm not suggesting anything dramatic. I simply think we shouldn't stay any longer." Tenten's brow furrowed. All of them looked to their sensei to gauge his opinion. Slowly, Guy nodded at Neji.

"I agree with you." He swept to his feet in an instant. With Guy-sensei, a decision was no sooner made, than acted upon. "We're going to give them an ultimatum—either the Kusa leader sees us, or the entire village of Kusagakure will see our backs!" He grinned at his students, but was met with looks of uncertainty. Apparently they couldn't decipher his joke. Exasperated, Guy spelled it out for them. "I mean, they'll see us leaving!"

"Oh," was all Tenten could think of to reply. She gave a weak laugh. Lee's grin, as usual, took up half his face.

"How clever, Sensei!" he cried. Guy was pleased enough by this reaction that he didn't notice Neji's sigh of annoyance. The important thing, he reminded himself, was that they weren't going to wait here pointlessly anymore.

Within seconds, they were shouldering their already-packed satchels and leaving their room. Then they were checking out of their room with the innkeeper. Then they were walking boldly into the sunshine. It was a good thing they had a confident spring in their step.

Because there, standing right in front of them, was a ninja with flowing white robes and an ornate headpiece. It could only be the leader of Kusagakure. The shinobi's snapping green eyes surveyed them from beneath the shadow of his headdress. He seemed to have been waiting for them. Could he have known they were coming?

"You wished to see me." The man's voice was as rasping as wind blowing through wild grass. "Then follow me, and we will talk." He gestured at them to follow. With no more warning, he leaped from the ground and vanished. Guy instantly crouched down to pursue.

"Neji!" he called out before vanishing, too. Tenten and Lee blinked and looked to Neji in confusion. Had Guy-sensei made Neji the stand-in cell leader?

"Byakugan!" barked Neji. Veins stood up on his face as blood and chakra rushed to his eyes. Suddenly his eyesight jumped to a level far beyond that of a normal ninja. And at the limits of his field of vision, he could just see the racing forms of the Kusa leader and Master Guy, moving faster than he ever knew his sensei could. "Come on!" he called to his teammates. "I can follow them! Stay close!"

"We are right behind you!" Lee replied. True to his words, he positioned himself right behind Neji. "Come on, Tenten!"

"Right!" agreed their team's _kunoichi_. She ran to take up the rear position, and first Neji, then Lee, then she, tensed and vanished from sight.


	13. They're Moving Fast

Neji raced as fast as he could to intercept their teacher. Through the roar of the wind in his ears, he could hear Lee's heavy breathing, so close he could practically feel it on the back of his neck. They were able to pour all their speed into the chase, for no trees or obstacles stood in their way.

"Neji!" came Lee's voice from behind him. "Tenten…"

Neji slowed and turned to see what was going on. Although Lee had had no trouble keeping up, Tenten wasn't nearby. His _byakugan_ discerned her just beyond the horizon. They were forced to halt and wait for her catch up to them. It took mere seconds, but Neji still burned with impatience and urgency. It seemed to take forever for Tenten to get there. Finally, she came to a stop next to them, bent over, and held her side.

"Sorry," she panted, her eyes shut tight from exertion. "I lost track of you and fell behind—"

"It is all right, Tenten," Lee reassured her, putting his hand on her shoulder. Tenten looked relieved by his words, and flashed him a shy smile. Neji wasn't looking at either of them, but scanning far ahead to see where their sensei had gone. The two men were almost out of range, for it was difficult for him to locate them even with the _byakugan_.

He made a noise of frustration. "Come on! They're moving fast. We have to hurry!" And he took off again, only slightly more slowly than he had seconds before, with Lee shadowing him and Tenten barely keeping up.

He told neither of his teammates that he was traveling almost blind. Instead, he fixed his Hyuga gaze on the last place he had seen them, and continued toward that spot.


	14. Can You Do That?

They came to a stop when Neji did, all three of them breathing hard and looking around frantically. They didn't have long to search before they saw their teacher. As it turned out, they had ended up behind the Kusa leader, who was staring Guy-sensei down. "…know why I brought you to the border of Grass and Fire, do you not?" the head _Kusanin_ was saying. Guy's eyes narrowed, but he didn't answer. The Kusa leader finished in a voice that was suddenly a wolfish snarl, "To allow your people to give you a proper burial!" He leaped into the air, his arms outstretched and his fingers splayed. " _Thousand blades of death!_ "

Now that his opponent wasn't blocking his view of them, Guy's eyes fell upon his pupils. Too late, Neji realized that their appearance had distracted Guy-sensei—and as a result, he waited an instant too long.

There was no way he could avoid the attack.

Tiny, wicked blades of grass, sharper than razorblades, sliced into him from every angle. Transfixed, his students watched them tear right through him. Through the whistle of the air through the blades, they could clearly hear Guy's breath catch in his lungs. His blood spurted everywhere, staining the grass around him darkly. It was all over so fast. And their sensei was left standing there, his breath coming in agonized, choking gasps, dripping his own blood.

" _Guy-sensei!"_ Lee screamed, beside himself. He leaped toward their enemy, uncharacteristic rage burning on his face. Caught unaware, he Kusa leader turned. He hadn't realized till now that the three of them were there. With the element of surprise in his favor, Lee proceeded to engage him in combat.

Tenten didn't hesitate for a second, but rushed across the meadow to Guy's side. Neji followed. He wondered, as he watched the tender way she helped their sensei lie down with a _makimono_ pouch for a pillow, if all _kunoichi_ were taught the basics of the healing arts at the Academy. Was it instinct or skill that caused her hands to move gently and capably? She took off her _hitai-ate_ headband and wiped his forehead with the cloth that held it in place. Then she pulled a blanket out of her pack and began frantically cutting it apart with her kunai. Using the resultant pieces of fabric as bandages, she tied them around his wounds. It was by no means a permanent cure, but it might hold them until they could get their teacher proper medical treatment.

Neji turned to survey the battle. To his surprise, Lee was currently forcing their opponent back. Surely the shinobi from Kusagakure had never seen anything like this formidable young _genin_ , who fought with neither weapons nor jutsu. Hand-to-hand combat in the ninja world was normally brief, used more often by shinobi to assess their opponent than to actually battle. But with Lee it was different. He turned hands-on fighting into an art, truly a jutsu of his own. His speed was incredible. His blows held such power that the Kusagakure leader was grunting with pain merely from blocking them.

"I will _never forgive you!_ " Lee howled without breaking the flow of his punching combinations. "You will pay for what you have done!" He was airborne from his own momentum, attacking his enemy from above. Although he was blocking Lee's every move with his forearms over his head, the Kusagakure leader was literally being driven into the grass bit by bit from the force of the strikes. His sandaled feet were starting to sink into the ground.

The _Kusanin_ 's eyes narrowed to slits. "Do you think," he hissed, "that a Konoha _genin_ ," he spat the word with contempt, "can get the best of the _most feared shinobi in the land of Kusagakure?!"_

Lee's voice blended with that of the older shinobi as he screeched, "Leaf hurricane!" His booted leg came down in an arc, aiming straight for his opponent's head. A blow like that could end the fight on the spot.

But Neji's eyes saw the trickery unfold that Lee couldn't. The Kusa leader brought his arm up, looking as though he were going to block the kick as he had done so many times before. But from his flowing sleeve slid a long stone vambrace, fitted smoothly around his arm from elbow to fingertips. He swung it in an uppercut with all his strength behind the move. Foot met weapon, and Neji heard the _krak_ of both stone and bone breaking. Suddenly Lee was flying toward them limply, his horrible cry of pain ripping the air. Neji shot upward to catch Lee and landed again next to Tenten.

The Kusa shinobi's face was ugly: he was not about to stop at wounding his prey. Predatorily, he rushed forward to finish the job. Then Tenten went into action. Taking the large scroll from her back, she unrolled it to reveal a plethora of shinobi weaponry. She took up a dozen kunai knives, placing them in the spaces between her fingers. "You will _not_ attack the wounded!" she bellowed. She launched the knives, which flew in strange trajectories, curving and spiraling around the _Kusanin_ without ever striking him. With quick moves honed from countless years of experience, Tenten repeated the same move again, and again. Soon kunai filled the air like snow. The leader of Kusagakure stopped his charge, scrutinizing the knives that danced around him. He was suspecting a trick—and for good reason. Still armed with his _byakugan_ , Neji could clearly see the strings trailing from the end of each kunai. As the knives flew, they drew the string with them. And then—Neji was impressed in spite of himself—the strings hardened in midair. They created an invisible barrier. The _Kusanin_ leader reached out with suspicion, as though searching for a genjutsu. When his hand came into contact with one of the strings, he pulled back from the unseen obstacle with a yell of pain. The strings must be sharp, Neji surmised. It truly was a jutsu of great complexity, for a _genin_ -level ninja. And it had the effect that Tenten wanted. Their enemy was, for the moment, unable to reach them.

Lee moaned as Neji laid him as carefully as he could next to Guy-sensei. His face was pale but for the dark circles under his round eyes.

Lee started to speak, but looked as if the effort would cause him to vomit.

"Don't move!" Tenten urged him. Her voice was shaking as well as her hands. She leaned over her cellmate. "You hurt your leg. You have to stay still!"

"G-g-g…" Lee tried to say. He blanched still further, swallowed, and finally whispered, "Guy…sensei. How is…Guy-sensei?" Tenten's eyes softened. Lee truly had the biggest heart of all of them. Even through his pain, his focus was not on himself, but on his teacher.

"I'm taking care of him, too. He's—"

"Tenten. Lee. Neji." They were shocked to hear their sensei's voice emanating from the prone figure next to them.

"—talking?" finished Tenten weakly. "Sensei, you shouldn't be talking!" she begged him.

"Listen," Guy commanded them. Wounded though he was, he held up a finger and continued to speak to them. "There's not much time. I need you to do something for me. Can you do that?"

"Of _course_ we will, Sensei!" Tenten said, distraught.

"The three of you have to promise me," croaked Guy.

"We will, we promise." Tenten's voice still sounded as though she were pleading with him not to strain himself.

"Yes, we will do whatever you say," Lee echoed faintly. He sounded honored that his teacher was putting such faith in them. Neji's eyes narrowed. He alone, of Guy's students, knew the ease of making promises that were difficult to keep.

"…Whatever it takes," he said only. Guy nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Then this is what I need you to do." He struggled into a sitting position, ignoring Tenten's protests. "Go back to Konoha. I'll hold this guy off."

"Sensei, what are you _talking_ about?" cried poor Tenten. Guy was still visibly bleeding. "You're in no condition to fight!"

Guy-sensei put one hand on his knee, the other on the ground, and pushed himself slowly, shakily upward. It was a huge effort. His breath was held with the pain it obviously caused. The three of them could only watch, helpless to stop him. At last, Guy was standing on his feet. "I have your word," he reminded them, breathing hard. "You promised me."

As his words sank in, Tenten and Lee shared a look of stunned realization. They had indeed trapped themselves with their vow. And to break one's word was forbidden in the world of shinobi.

"No," moaned Tenten. "You can't ask us to do that…"

"Good thing I'm not asking you," growled Guy. "I'm _telling_ you. Leave now, while he's still trapped in that barrier. Once you get back to the village, you can send reinforcements back."

"But you won't last that long in your condition!" Tenten shouted. She was close to tears now.

"I don't want any of you involved in a battle with the leader of the Grass Village," Guy told them quietly. "It's far beyond your abilities as _genin_."

"Maybe," Neji spoke up. He got to his feet. "But we can't know until we try. That's why I'm staying."

Guy blinked, and Lee and Tenten turned to their comrade, confused and yet hoping against hope. If Neji were staying behind…then their sensei just might have a fighting chance. "Neji, are you going against your promise?" Guy-sensei said, his tone foreboding. "I won't have my student—"

"I didn't promise to do what you said." Neji was perfectly aware how insolent his statement sounded. Still he looked straight into his sensei's eyes. "I promised to do whatever it took—to defeat our enemy and to protect my team."

Guy's eyes narrowed as he realized that what Neji said was true. He couldn't pin his third student with a promise. So he attempted a different method. "Return to the village with your teammates," he snapped. "That's an order from your team leader."

"I refuse." Neji held his head high, even in disobedience. It was enormously freeing—even self-validating—to finally know what it felt like to disregard a command. For he knew he could no more obey Guy in this instance, than he could erase the Hyuga mark burned into his forehead. These were his friends, his comrades with whom he had shared countless trials and triumphs. And as infuriating and embarrassing as Guy-sensei could be, he outshone all the other _jonin_ in the village in humor, honesty, and heart. Neji was well aware of his obligations to both the mission and to the Shinobi Code. But Konoha had essentially abandoned them this time. And Neji was not about to abandon the teacher who had done something for Neji that no other adult ever had.

He had gained Neji's trust.

"I'm _ordering_ you!" Guy sounded more dangerous than ever, but Neji considered it no more than bluster now. His certainty that he would face future punishment for his actions, was met by his complete disregard of the prospect. "Do you hear me, Hyuga Neji?" Guy was saying. "Insubordination will _not_ be tolerated on Guy's team!"

"If you die here, what do you think will happen to Team Guy?" Neji asked him quietly. For the first time since Neji had met the man, Might Guy was at a loss for words. "Now…" Neji tensed his body, squeezed his hands into fists, and prepared for battle. "Our enemy is almost free. Tenten, take Lee and go now, before he gets here." Tenten bent down and lifted Lee by putting his arm over her shoulders. She stood up, supporting his weight completely and being careful to keep his injured foot off the ground. She had to stand on tiptoe to do so, since Lee was so tall.

"Neji." Her eyes, like a doe's, met his, the Hyuga sea of lavender. "I _know_ you can do it." Her faith in him was without reserve. And Lee nodded in agreement.

"Protect Guy-sensei," he murmured, his eyes out of focus. Neji nodded at them. He would not let them down. He refused to.

Now action was taking place on all sides. Tenten took off, bounding through the grass like a deer. Neji whirled to face their enemy. Guy, despite his critical wounds, stepped in front of Neji as though to shield him. But Neji wasn't fooled into believing that he would be defended. The time for him to be protected was past.

He was the protector now.

As their enemy finally broke free, he steeled himself, took a deep breath, summoned all his chakra. "Sensei, get down!" he shouted.

"What?" Guy was astonished to hear the command, it was such a role reversal. But Neji hadn't spoken merely for the enjoyment of ordering his teacher around. The situation called for instantaneous reaction—and Guy was being far too slow about it.

"I _said_ , get _down!_ " Neji bellowed. He plowed into Guy-sensei from behind, throwing both of them forward. Neji twisted in midair so that he hit the ground first, breaking Guy's fall. Tenten's threads whirled over their heads, borne by the savage wind created out of nowhere by the Kusa leader. Neji waited until the maelstrom abated, then squirmed gingerly out from under his sensei. He took up his clan's ancient stance: hands held out, one in front of him, one in back, a fighting style that allowed 360˚ defense. It went hand-in-hand with the Hyuga's ocular jutsu, which enabled them to anticipate attacks from any direction.

" _Again_ Konoha insults my intelligence," the leader of Kusagakure observed darkly. "First one of their finest _jonin_ falls before me, and now they present me with nothing more than a _genin_."

"You do yourself a disservice if you underestimate the shinobi of Konoha," Neji replied.

"Do I?" The lead _Kusanin_ 's face was scornful as he let loose with his previous attack. "You will _die with your words,_ Konoha shinobi! _Blades of death!"_

But Neji felt no fear as the deadly projectiles rushed at him. "Rotation!" he shouted. Whirling like a tornado, he encased himself in an impenetrable sphere of chakra, against which the blades collided uselessly and ricocheted off. To Neji's satisfaction, some of them even shot back at their caster, forcing the _Kusanin_ to block himself from his own attack numerous times. Finally, the storm of knifelike blades abated, and Neji slowed and stopped.

"No one will die today."

It was Hyuga Neji's second promise of the day, and he was utterly committed to keeping it.

He ran forward, muttering as he raced, " _Byakugan_." His opponent flashed forward to meet him. But his enemy's speed couldn't take Neji by surprise—not while his Hyuga vision was engaged. Breathing fast and concentrating as hard as he could, he began trading blows at blinding speed with the most talented shinobi in the Land of Kusagakure. The limits of his skill were pushed to new heights. He wasn't sure he would be victorious this time. But then, he didn't need to.

He only had to hold the Grass ninja off long enough to buy time.


	15. My Purpose

Hyuga Neji was the most brilliant ninja in his class—a gifted shinobi the likes of which Konohagakure hadn't seen in years. But that didn't change the fact that when pitted against the leader of Kusagakure, he felt as though he had been thrown into the deep center of an icy lake. With his _byakugan_ and rotation technique in use, usually Neji had no trouble holding his own. But this opponent was unlike those he had faced before. As many blows as he blocked, they never seemed to cease. As fast as the strikes came, they seemed to increase in speed with each passing minute. All of Neji's focus was being poured into defensive maneuvers. He couldn't last like this for long.

"You can't land a single punch," the leader of the Grass Village jibed him. "At this rate, you'll never be able to scratch me, much less beat me."

"My purpose is not to beat you," Neji grunted through the effort of executing endless blocking moves.

"You Konoha ninja are all the same," the _Kusanin_ scoffed. "All bluff, but weak when your true motives are revealed." Slowly, a weapon revealed itself, sliding insidiously up from under his forearm. "You need…" He brought the weapon up into striking position in a whirling motion. "To _attack to kill!"_

He thrust his arm forward with speed greater than Neji had ever witnessed before—speed too great for Neji to react in time. " _Striking kusakana!"_ The long, thin, deadly blade of a sword reached forward. It was going to impale him, and there was nothing he could do.

 _Thwam_. All of a sudden, a shadowy silhouette slammed into the Grass ninja, bowling him over. "If you _dare_ hurt my student…!" Neji recognized the voice, although the threatening tone of it was all but foreign to him. His wide lavender eyes looked up in amazement to see Might Guy, still held aloft by the momentum of his kick. His sensei landed ably. "…Then you'll have to face the wrath of the Beast of Konoha!" Impressive repartee was as indispensable as taijutsu to Guy's fighting style. But his confident front was undermined as he slumped, one hand gripping his shoulder, the other hand squeezing his kicking leg till the knuckles whitened. He was clearly in great pain: he had to lock his knees to even stand upright.

The Kusa leader was rolling to his feet, having sustained little visible damage. His expression was derisive as he approached them. "Forgive me for not trembling in fear," he sneered. "But as I said before, I will have no trouble making short work of you Konoha ninja." His bone vambrace slid into view again, covering his arm. "You're too meek, too gentle."

Neji barely heard the mocking words. His thoughts were racing to complete his plan. He knew what attack was coming, and was rehearsing a counterattack of his own.

"Perhaps a gentle attack," he breathed, using the words more as a distraction than as a repartee, "is all that's needed."

Then the Kusa ninja sprang forward, and Neji planted his feet in the Hyuga stance. The leader of Kusagakure hefted his bone weapon over his head and brought it swinging down toward Neji, aiming to crush the boy's skull. Instead of dodging back, however, Neji moved _toward_ the older shinobi. Darting forward, he allowed himself to fall onto his back and slide between the Grass ninja's legs. He came up behind his enemy and stood up so that they were back to back. Although not facing his opponent, Neji's Hyuga eyes could clearly see behind him, and he knew exactly where to strike.

"Gentle fist," he whispered. His palm reached out and, ever so lightly, tapped the _Kusanin_ right between the shoulder blades.

That was all that was needed to overbalance the Kusagakure shinobi. The weight of his swinging weapon now pulled him inescapably downward. Not only was he forced to the ground, but he driven _into_ the ground, such was the power behind his attack. Dirt and gravel exploded into the air from the crater into which he sank. Then all was silent but for Neji heaving for breath in the dusty air.

It was over so quickly that even Guy had trouble following it. He blinked and shook his head, marveling at how gifted his student truly was.

In the center of an icy sea, Neji was swimming strongly.


	16. Part of Your Plan

The two of them made it back to Konohagakure, Guy leaning heavily on Neji. Tenten and Lee raced to meet them, and together they helped their sensei to Konoha Hospital. They visited him often over the next three days. But he had no more quiet convalescing time than that. A shinobi was never allowed to be out of commission for long.

Lord Homura and Lady Koharu came to his room while Lee, Neji, and Tenten were there. "Master Guy, we are sorry to hear about your wounds," Koharu began formally. "We recognize your need for rest and recuperation; however, it is important that you debrief us regarding your mission to Kusagakure."

For a long moment Guy simply stared at the village leaders with a baleful gaze. Then, to his students' surprise, he started to laugh. He threw his head back and let out the booming laughter that they were accustomed to, although they were mystified as to the current cause for humor. "L-lady Koharu, Lord Homura," he said, still laughing, "I want your permission to speak honestly."

The two elders nodded together. And suddenly Guy was done laughing. The look he gave the Hokage's retainers at that moment was nothing if not furious. "I can hardly believe you. You sent us off on a wild goose chase to the Land of Grass, apparently for us to make an appearance there and showcase Konoha manpower. The mission had vague parameters from the start." He shook his head. "Did you know from the outset that Kusa wasn't on speaking terms with Konoha? Was diplomacy ever part of your plan? Was that why you deployed a cell of fighters rather than a team of ambassadors? Did you always plan to abandon us there, with no intention of returning our messages or sending us word from HQ?" His brows gathered into a mighty scowl. "As a result, a _jonin_ was nearly slaughtered by a _kage_ -level Grass shinobi. Not only that, but a _genin_ was forced to battle for sheer life on what was supposed to be a D-rank mission." He made a sound of contempt. "And now, to top it all off, you interrupt my recovery to ask how our mission went. Frankly I'm disappointed in both of you. I had thought Konoha retainers were worthy of greater respect than this. Perhaps I was wrong."

Once it was clear that he had said his piece, Koharu spoke up, her voice as cold as ice. "Know your place, Master Guy. As a _jonin_ in the service of the Land of Fire, your duty, first and foremost, is to village and Hokage. It is not for you to question missions. Your only obligation is to fulfill them."

"You misunderstand me," Guy replied steadily, maintaining eye contact with her. "I'm not questioning the mission. And I know my place. I am a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village. However, when I receive shady instructions that lead my team into a trap…" He raised his eyebrow and finished without a hint of humor, "…I refuse to pretend that everything is fine and dandy." He was silent for an ominous moment, glaring at them. "Understand. I won't allow my students' lives to be needlessly endangered again. Now please leave." He grinned suddenly at his precious _genin_. "We were just about to eat lunch."

Grumpily, Koharu got to her feet, turned at the doorway and, as though firing a parting shot, snapped, "It has also come to our attention that one of your students blatantly disregarded your orders."

Guy's lip twitched in annoyance. "His discipline is my responsibility, not yours." Koharu _hmphed_ but said no more as she left the room. Lord Homura hesitated and opened his mouth as though to speak, but seemed to think better of it and left without saying anything.

Team Guy was left to eat their lunch in peace.


	17. Always Remember This

It was days later that Master Guy was pronounced fully healed and allowed to leave the hospital. Now was the time for Neji to face the consequences for his insolent behavior during their mission. Uncharacteristically serious, Guy took his team into the forest and turned to them. "Hyuga Neji," he said, his voice heavy, "stand forth and take your punishment." In silent obedience, Neji stepped forward. He stopped before his master with his eyes fixed on Guy's torso. He steeled himself for the coming blow but made neither cringing nor blocking movement. In his short life, he had already become used to meekly accepting punishment. His sensei's eyes narrowed—was that pity or criticism that Neji saw there?

Guy hit him squarely in the face, so hard that he flew through the air. As he crashed to the ground, he could feel warm blood pouring out of burst lips. He was well aware that Master Guy had held back, however. Neji had no doubt that his teacher could have easily broken all the teeth in his jaw.

"Guy-sensei!" Lee protested his teacher's harsh treatment, distraught.

"Sensei!" Tenten echoed, reproachful. She rushed to Neji's side, but he pushed himself painfully to his feet before she could help him up.

"Neji." Master Guy's voice was uncharacteristically low. He had his head down so that his eyes were in shadow. "Come here." Neji obediently walked over to his sensei, wiping his bleeding mouth on the back of his hand. He stood straight as a rod again and waited for the next blow.

Guy raised his head. To Neji's astonishment, he saw tears pouring freely down his master's cheeks. "Come, my pupil!" Guy howled almost melodramatically. And before Neji could dodge, Guy-sensei threw himself forward and wrapped his arms around his most promising student in what was unmistakably a happily-ever-after hug.

"I'm sorry for putting you through this..." Guy said through a sob. Neji could feel the teardrops raining down from above, wetting the top of his head. Did the man ever stop crying, he wondered? A squirm failed to budge him the slightest inch from his master's arms. Might Guy was quite strong, and he wasn't holding back in his embrace as he had with his punch. Neji was starting to worry that different bones would be broken than his teeth, before the day was over.

Now Guy's voice had switched back to serious. "Whatever advice I have to give you as a Konoha shinobi, always remember this." He squeezed his student, if that were possible, harder. Neji was starting to tremble from the effort of tensing his body to keep the force of the hug at bay.

"I am... _so proud_ of you." Master Guy had his hand on the back of Neji's head, pressing it against his broad shoulder. Neji opened his gifted eyes wide on the darkness of Guy's shirt. He forgot himself for a moment and relaxed, so surprised was he by his master's words. Guy continued, his voice brimming with emotion, heedless of his student's impending danger of being crushed. "I was proud of your achievements before I ever became your teacher. And now I see that you've become an _excellent_ shinobi." His arms didn't slacken in their grip even as it became apparent that Neji was having trouble breathing. "Neji...there's something that I have to tell you." Neji was now beating his fist against Guy, who remained blissfully ignorant of his pupil's plight. "This advice was passed on to me by...a shinobi who's very important to me." Poor Neji's movements were growing weaker by the second. "Listen, and remember them well." Guy's pronouncement of these last words showed his flair for the dramatic. Not a moment before Neji would have doubtless passed out, Guy took him by the shoulders and held him at arm's length so that he could look straight into the keen lavender eyes. Neji gasped for breath and continued to breathe laboriously as his teacher continued talking, but Guy didn't seem to notice that. Lee and Tenten waited with bated breath to hear what their sensei was about to say.

"Those who don't follow rules and orders are _garbage_ ," Guy growled. They had never heard him use a tone of such scorn. That is, it was unparalleled until he spoke again. "But those who don't defend their friends are _even lower than that!_ " His snarl conveyed the deepest contempt any of them had ever heard from anyone before. Then, his mood changed as abruptly as it ever did. The ferocious anger on his face was replaced with shining remorse. His eyes shimmered beneath their ample brows. "Neji, forgive me for what I had to do." He reached out with exceeding tenderness and touched the swelling bruise on Neji's cheek.

The genius of the Hyuga clan narrowed his eyes and bowed his head. He was trying to find words that he was unaccustomed to saying. "Sensei, I..." he began. " _We_ are..." He cleared his throat. "We're honored to be your students." It was the first time since being apprenticed to Might Guy that Hyuga Neji had expressed respect for his teacher. Behind them, Lee pumped his fist into the air.

"That is right!" he yelled in agreement.

"Yeah!" echoed Tenten.

Master Guy's eyes were brimming full again, and dangerously close to spilling over into waterfalls. "Y-you guys..." he stammered. Then, to Neji's chagrin (and Lee's delight), he wrapped his arms around all three of them at once. The Flowering Beast lifted his twelve-year-old students off their feet and danced around with them in his arms.

= The End =


End file.
